Broadway
After Gibson took over Epiphone in 1957, they began producing several new guitars. Epiphone had used the "Broadway" name from 1931-1958 on their non-cutaway acoustic archtop, but from 1958 to 1970 the "Broadway" designation was transferred to a new full-size electric archtop, first with New York pickups, and then from 1961 with mini-humbuckers. The Broadway, which had never been available as an electric in the old Epiphone line, was now available only as an electric in the Gibson-made offering. Along with the Howard Roberts, the Broadway Electric was one of only two electric guitars with a full-depth hollow body produce in Kalamazoo. The Broadway was reissued in 1997 with a slightly rounder treble horn, humbucker pickups, pearl/abalone V-block inlays, clipped-ear headstock with a "Tree of Life" inlay and is only availble in a natural finish. The Broadway reissue is still in production today. The Broadway was also reissued between 2001-2006 for the Elitist line and featured 24 karat gold hardware, carousel-style control knobs, Tune-o-matic bridge and an optional Vintage Sunburst finish |
See Also: Broadway Acoustic Archtop
Contents |
Models
Broadway Electric
- 1958-1969
- Model E252
Body:
- Full depth body
- Laminated maple top, back & sides
- 17.5" body width
Neck:
- Three-piece mahogany/maple neck with "V" profile.
- Brazilian rosewood fretboard with pearl block inlays
- Inlaid pearl "Epiphone" script logo and pearl column inlay on headstock
- Open-book style headstock (1958-1964)
- Elongated open-book headstock (1965-1969)
- 25.5" scale
- 1.68" nut width
Binding:
- 3-ply ivroid body
- 1-ply ivroid neck & pickguard
Electronics:
- Two NY pickups (1958-1960)
- Two Mini humbuckers (1961-1969)
- 2 Vol. 2 Tone controls
- 3-way selector switch on upper bass bout
Hardware:
- Nickel hardware
- Elevated tortoise shell pickguard
- Rosewood bridge on rosewood base
- Frequensator tailpiece
- Carousel knobs (1958-1960)
- Reflector knobs (1961-1969)
Colors:
- Natural
- Sunburst
- Cherry
Broadway Reissue
- 1997-Current
Body:
- Laminated maple body
- Select spruce top
- 17" body width
Neck:
- Set maple neck with SlimTaper "C" profile
- Rosewood fingerboard with V-block inlays
- Pearl "Vine of Life" inlay on headstock
- 20 frets
- 25.5" scale
- 1.68" nut width
Binding:
- 7-ply body
- 3-ply neck & headstock
- 1-ply f-hole
- 5-ply pickguard
Electronics:
- Alnico Classic humbucker pickups
- 2 Vol. 2 tone controls
- Three-way selector switch
Hardware:
- Gold hardware
- Adjustable rosewood bridge or rosewood bridge base
- Frequensator tailpiece
- Elevated tortoise pickguard with metal "E" emblem
- 16:1 ratio Grover die-cast tuners
- Black reflector knobs
Colors:
- Natural (NA)
- Ebony (EB)
- Antique Sunburst (AS)
Elitist Broadway
- 2002-2008
Body:
- Solid spruce top
- AAA Flame Maple back & sides
- 17" body width
- 3.375" body depth
Neck:
- 5-Piece Maple/Rosewood set mahogany neck
- Ebony fingerboard with abalone & pearl V-block inlays
- Clipped-ear headstock with pearl Tree of Life inlay
- Elite or Elitist logo on back of headstock
- 25.5" scale
- 1.68" nut width
Binding:
- 7-ply body
- 5-ply pickguard
- 3-ply neck & headstock
- Single-ply f-holes
Electronics:
- USA 50SR & 50TR humbucker pickups
- 2 Vol. 2 Tone controls
- 3-way selector switch
Hardware:
- 24K Gold hardware
- Grover tuners with Imperial Buttons
- Tune-o-matic bridge frequensator tailpiece
- Ebony bridge base with pearl inlays
- Raised tortoise pickguard with foil "E" emblem
- White carousel knobs
Colors:
- Antique Natural (AN)
- Vintage Sunburst (VS)
See Also: Elitist Archtops
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